Court dates set for local trio

Erin Smith Staff writer

September 11, 2013

ELIZABETHTOWN —Bladen County Superior Court met this week and dealt with several cases.Appearing on the docket were Gregory Lynn Hester, Herbert Paul Weissinger and Allen Robinson.According to the Bladen County Clerk of Superior Court's Office, Hester is set to stand trial on Monday, Sept. 23, on charges of two counts of statutory rape, two counts of selling/delivering a controlled substance to someone under the age of 16 by someone over the age of 18; one count of possession with intent to manufacture a controlled substance; and one count of selling/delivering a Schedule IV controlled substance.Hester was arrested March 10, 2011, by the Bladenboro Police Department.Weissinger is set to have his next court appearance on Monday, Nov. 4, on charges of two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.Weissinger, a retired North Carolina Highway Patrol trooper, is facing charges related to a shooting that took place on Christmas Eve 2012. Weissinger, 55, is accused of shooting a father and son after allegedly shooting two men Weissinger claims were trespassing on family land.The shooting took place on Dec. 24, 2012, in the 13000 block of U.S. 701 in the vicinity of Beard's Chapel Loop Road near Garland. According to a report filed with the Bladen County Sheriff's Office, deputies arrived to find the two men shot.Thomas Daughety Jr., 42, of Fayetteville, was shot in the stomach and arm during the melee. His father, Thomas Daughety Sr., 64, of Parkton was shot in the hand.Robinson is also set to return to court on Monday, Nov. 4. Robinson, who is the former Clarkton Volunteer Fire Department chief, is facing charges of two counts of corporate malfeasance, two counts of insurance fraud and four counts of embezzlement.Robinson, along with former Deputy Chief Joshua Simmons, were indicted by the Bladen County Grand Jury on Aug. 5.The pair are alleged to have cut the pump off one of the department's fire trucks in 2012 and reported it as stolen to the insurance company. According to reports, the pump was valued at about $13,000. It is also alleged that in 2010, Robinson reported several air tanks as missing when they were actually in use at the fire department.Robinson was also alleged to have misappropriated funds.